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Kentucky County
Metcalfe County, Kentucky
Edmonton's south-central Kentucky agricultural heritage and Barren River country - from Metcalfe County's Barren River watershed position (the headwaters of the Barren River rise in Metcalfe County's rolling karst landscape - the same limestone-dominated terrain that produces the caves, sinkholes, and springs that define south-central Kentucky's distinctive geology - and the county's cattle, tobacco, and hay farming communities have sustained the agricultural economy of this traditional Kentucky farming region for generations) and Edmonton's role as a quiet courthouse hub.
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Office: Metcalfe County Emergency Management – 201 N. Main Street, Edmonton, KY 42129 | (270) 432-3181 | Email: [email protected]; Director Adam Bennett.
Sheriff: Metcalfe County Sheriff’s Office – PO Box 371, Edmonton, KY 42129 | (270) 432-3041; Sheriff Lonnie Hodges.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: KY-90 and KY-63 serve Edmonton, the county seat and only incorporated municipality in the county, in south-central Kentucky.
Notes: Metcalfe County was founded in May 1860 and named for Thomas Metcalfe, 10th Governor of Kentucky (1828-1832). Metcalfe began as a stonemason’s apprentice at age 16 and, before entering politics, built numerous landmark structures across the state including the old Kentucky Governor’s Mansion and the Green County Courthouse (the state’s oldest). His trade earned him the enduring nickname “Old Stone Hammer” – political opponents mocked him as unfit for the governorship because of his working-class background, but Metcalfe went on to serve as governor, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senator.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Metcalfe County Courthouse – Edmonton, KY.
Notes: The Metcalfe County Jail, built around 1861 by stonemason John Wilson in the Romanesque Revival style, remained in use until the early 1980s and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Metcalfe County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via metcalfecounty.ky.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Metcalfe County Public Library (Edmonton) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The historic Metcalfe County Jail and Courthouse Square in Edmonton are the county’s notable heritage landmarks.
Notes: The genuine “Old Stone Hammer” story of Governor Thomas Metcalfe – a working stonemason who overcame class-based political attacks to become governor – is a distinctive piece of Kentucky political history covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Metcalfe County Property Valuation Administrator – confirm current contact via metcalfecounty.ky.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Metcalfe County Animal Shelter, Inc. – 101 River Road, Edmonton, KY 42129 | Clinic (270) 432-2080; Contact Donna LaFever. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit-operated shelter.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Metcalfe County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via metcalfecounty.ky.gov.
NOTES: Metcalfe County is the fourth county in Kentucky’s twelfth batch under the Round 3 A+ sourced standard. The genuine “Old Stone Hammer” story of Governor Thomas Metcalfe is a distinctive piece of Kentucky political history covered in this project. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Metcalfe County
Metcalfe County is south-central Kentucky’s Barren River headwaters farming county – the rolling karst landscape where the Barren River rises sustains cattle, tobacco, and hay farming in a traditional Kentucky agricultural community between Bowling Green and the Tennessee border.
Edmonton (the county seat, population ~1,600) serves Metcalfe County’s farming communities in the south-central Kentucky karst region.
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Metcalfe County PVA at 100 E. Stockton Street, Suite 3, Edmonton, KY 42129, phone 270-432-4249. KY residential assessed at 100% of fair cash value.
Courts & Legal
Metcalfe County Circuit Court at 100 E. Stockton Street, Edmonton, KY 42129, phone 270-432-3531, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-4291
CIRCUIT COURT CLERK (Court Records)
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-3621
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-4291
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Metcalfe County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1868-69 Metcalfe County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Metcalfe County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Metcalfe County District Court Metcalfe County Courthouse, 201 East Stockton Street, P.O. Box 27, Edmonton, KY 42129 (270) 432-3663
Metcalfe County was founded May 1860, named for Governor Thomas Metcalfe. Edmonton is its seat and only municipality. The 1868-69 Metcalfe County Courthouse (Italianate, National Register of Historic Places) is one of the oldest still standing in south-central Kentucky.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Kentucky has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code; probate is governed by KRS Chapter 395 (Administration of Estates), handled by the District Court in the county where the decedent resided (KRS 24A.120).
Dispensing with Administration – Kentucky’s simplified small-estate procedure, governed by KRS 395.450, 395.455, and 395.470. Available when the value of the personal estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $30,000, and the petitioner is a surviving spouse, adult child, or other qualifying heir/preferred creditor. The petitioner files a Petition to Dispense with Administration (Form AOC-830) with an affidavit listing assets, debts, and proposed distribution – no personal representative or full administration is required. Real estate is generally not covered by this procedure.
Regular (Full) Administration – for larger or more complex estates, the District Court appoints a personal representative (executor if named in a will, administrator if intestate), who gathers assets, pays debts, and distributes what remains under court oversight.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Executor/Administrator (Form AOC-805) with the District Court in the county of residence.
If there’s a will, the court admits it to probate; it is then recorded with the county clerk (KRS 394.140).
The personal representative files an Inventory and Appraisement (Form AOC-841) of estate assets.
Notice to creditors is published; creditors generally have 6 months from appointment to file claims.
The personal representative pays valid debts, taxes, and expenses.
A Settlement of Estate (Form AOC-846) is filed, and the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Filing fees and publication costs are collected by the clerk and vary somewhat by county.
Kentucky does not require an attorney for probate, though it is commonly recommended, especially for formal administration.
Typical timelines: full probate generally takes 6-12 months; the creditor claims period is 6 months. Dispensing with Administration can move significantly faster once the estate qualifies.
Before distribution, a surviving spouse may petition for release of up to $2,500 from the estate as an exempt charge against estate property.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-3982
SHERIFF / TAX COLLECTOR
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-3982
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections, Marriage Licenses)
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-4291
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
100 E. Stockton St., Edmonton, KY 42129
(270) 432-4291
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Metcalfe County Health Department – confirm current contact via chfs.ky.gov local health department directory.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Edmonton
Population: 10,000
Area: 291 sq mi
Established: 1860
Tier: 3
Public Records
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